Brendan McDonagh
Brendan McDonagh served as the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency (Nama), where he played a crucial role in navigating the agency through Ireland's post-financial crisis landscape, particularly during the controversial Project Eagle sale in 2014. His leadership faced scrutiny during a commission of investigation due to decisions made regarding the sale of a significant Northern Irish property portfolio amidst allegations of improper conduct and conflicts of interest.
Not in the pool (under ¢1).
Recent news mentions
Brendan McDonagh was initially identified for the role of chief executive but withdrew due to salary concerns.
Cabinet set to approve €1bn fund to ‘unlock’ delays in new housing schemes – The Irish Times
Ireland· 2026-01-20
Brendan McDonagh was the favoured choice to lead a new Housing Activation Office but ruled himself out.
A messy Dáil start, more housing woes and, finally, a new president – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-12-20
Brendan McDonagh withdrew from consideration for the housing tsar position after controversy arose regarding his appointment.
Government seeks new housing tsar to tackle accommodation crisis on a salary of €217,000 – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-10-31
Brendan McDonagh was proposed by James Browne to be appointed as the housing 'tsar'.
How has the Cabinet performed in its first six months? – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-08-03
Brendan McDonagh, a very credible figure whose bond to public service isn’t questioned even by his sharpest critics, had little option but to pull his name on May 1st.
Rent reforms will pull up the drawbridge on future renters – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-06-14
Brendan McDonagh is the chief executive of Nama who recalled his last meeting with Brian Lenihan.
Nama chief makes good on Lenihan order not to ‘mess it up’ – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-06-12
Brendan McDonagh withdrew from consideration for the role of housing tsar amid political concerns over his salary.
Department objected to Government’s ‘housing tsar’ amid concerns over pay and recruitment – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-06-05
Brendan McDonagh, chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency, was highlighted as a favored option for the role but withdrew from contention.
‘We do not need a housing tsar,’ top civil servant Graham Doyle tells property conference – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-29Brendan McDonagh was considered for the position to head the housing activation unit with a high salary.
Two and a half decades in, the housing crisis is Ireland’s most enduring failure – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-23
Brendan McDonagh, the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency, believes his expertise could have added value to the Government’s new housing delivery agency.
Nama’s Brendan McDonagh says he could have added ‘value’ to new housing delivery agency – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-21
Brendan McDonagh is the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency who withdrew from consideration for a new role.
‘Thousands’ of new homes delayed due to electricity access – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-05
Brendan McDonagh was the Government’s housing fixer whose appointment sparked controversy between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Housing tsar row masks a much deeper problem for the Government – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-05
Brendan McDonagh was the Nama chief executive and Minister for Housing James Browne’s preferred candidate for the head of the housing activation office.
Fianna Fáil says salary for head of housing activation office will not be ‘anywhere near’ €430,000 – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-04
Brendan McDonagh withdrew from consideration for the position of the Government's new housing 'tsar' after Fine Gael blocked his appointment.
If ‘housing tsar’ can bypass Ireland’s Kafkaesque bureaucracy, they might solve the crisis – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-03
Brendan is a highly successful troubleshooter, one of the hard-edge money crunchers drafted in to save Ireland from going down the economic tubes after the Celtic Tiger ate itself to death.
A tsar is not born – and that means ‘faic all’ progress in housing – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-03
Brendan McDonagh was intended to be appointed as the Government’s new housing tsar.
FF and FG continue to snipe after collapse of Brendan McDonagh appointment plan – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-02
Brendan McDonagh had withdrawn his name for consideration for the position of head of the Housing Activation Office.
Housing tsar row brings a strike-out before the first innings – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-02
Brendan McDonagh was the Minister for Housing’s favoured nominee to head the new Housing Activation Office.
Coalition manages to turn a crisis into a drama – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-01Brendan McDonagh will not be offered the position of the Government’s new housing ‘tsar’ after Fine Gael blocked his appointment.
Brendan McDonagh withdraws from consideration for housing ‘tsar’ role after Fine Gael blocks appointment – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-01Brendan McDonagh is the putative new head of the Housing Activation Office or 'housing tsar'.
Even at €430,000 a year, Brendan McDonagh would be nuts to take the housing tsar job – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-01Brendan McDonagh is the Nama chief executive preferred for the new role of housing 'tsar' by Minister for Housing James Browne.
Housing ‘tsar’ salary might be lower than €430,000, say Government sources – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-01Brendan McDonagh is set to become the first tsar of the housing activation office in Ireland.
Tsar Brendan the Terrible Big Salary, that mild-mannered banker set to pulverise those planners – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-01
Brendan McDonagh is the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency and is suggested to take up the position of housing tsar.
How a housing ‘tsar’ in waiting became a PR problem for the Government – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-05-01Brendan McDonagh is the proposed boss of the National Asset Management Agency.
Russian oligarch might approve ‘unjustifiable housing tsar salary’ – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-30Brendan McDonagh is the boss of Nama and is being considered for the role of leading the new Housing Activation Office.
Bosses of commercial State bodies in line for huge pay rises following remuneration report – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-30Brendan McDonagh has been identified to head up the new Housing Activation Office.
What will the Housing Activation Office – and possible chief executive Brendan McDonagh – do? – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-30Brendan McDonagh, the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency (Nama), has been identified by the Coalition to head-up the new office.
Taoiseach understands public concern over mooted €430,000 salary for ‘housing tsar’ – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-29
Brendan McDonagh has been identified as the chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency and is set to become the State’s new housing tsar.
Irish average mortgages hit record €328,000 as buyers chase soaring prices – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-29
The coalition wants Nama chief executive Brendan McDonagh for the role of leading the new housing office.
State bodies to face increased pressure to sell sites to LDA for housing – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-28Brendan McDonagh has been identified by the Coalition to head the new Strategic Housing Activation Office.
Proposed ‘housing tsar’ salary receives sharp criticism from Opposition – The Irish TimesIreland· 2025-04-27